Stop the World and Melt with You
by Bunny1
Summary: Jointfic with GreenLeoFiend. Lucy's family comes to visit, bringing her a whole new set of stress/adventure. Lucy/Cole with smatterings of Drew/Denise. Takes place directly after ep. 'Our True Lies'. Complete.


Lucy was in a cleaning frenzy when Cole walked in.

"Cole! Don't sit there!" she said, shooing him to a standing position and smoothing out the bed.

"Wha... what's with you?" he asked, eying her. "You're extra heavy on the crazy today, babe."

"My family is coming to visit. Well, except my sister, who's on her honeymoon. But, Mom, Dad, and my brother Rick, who's 33 and still lives in the basement."

Cole raised an eyebrow. "Does he have Trauma Center?"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Yes, and for that reason he thinks he can "teach" me surgery tips."

"Cool."

"Cool? How can you be so calm? I told you my family is coming over!"

Cole smiled. "Cause I want to meet them--- they don't' like me over the phone."

"Oh..." Lucy sighed, fiddling with his collar. "Well, I like you, if that counts?"

Cole smiled. "More than anyone else I know." he whispered, and begun kissing her neck, down to her cleavage, and began planting lingering kisses in the valley between her breasts when suddenly he heard, "Oh, my... we've come at a bad time!"

"Uh... mom..."

"Hi sweetie. I can assume that this is Cole?" Mrs. Bennett said.

Lucy bit her lip. "Ah yeah. Mom this is Cole. Cole this is my Mom. And Dad--" She stops and waves at her dad nervously.

Lucy's father folds his arms. "I heard some interesting things about you. Do you treat my daughter right in all things..."

Lucy frowned. "Dad! He's wonderful, you be nice!"

Cole couldn't hide the smile; he liked that Lucy was defending him. If warmed him. He kissed her cheek. "I have an errand; I'll leave you guys alone. Nice meeting you all--- sorta." he said, slipping quickly out...

___________________  
By the time Lucy sat down next to him in Dr. Cox's class, she looked like she had been crying.

"Boo?" he frowned, brushing her hair back from her face.

"I'm fine." she lied, chewing on her hair absently.

"Yeah, and I'm Fred Durst."

Lucy gave him a weak smile.

"Wanna tell me what happened?"

Lucy shook her head. "Bossy... judgmental... and my stupid brother is bugging me to help him out, because his stupid garage band got a gig this weekend, and he cheated on the lead singer, so, she quit. Like I have TIME to go sing at some bar..."

"Say what? Babe you sing?" Cole asked.

Lucy shrugged. "Just a little. Rick tells me that I should audition for American Idol. And he doesn't even like that show. He's crazy."

"Why haven't I heard you sing?" Cole asked instead.

"I don't sing! Well, not when I am sober. And what if I am on call?"

"You are a med student, you aren't actually on call yet."

"Blah! I know that. Still, I'm not singing on a bar? I'm not one of those chick's in Coyote Ugly... I mean that's how you end up with Coyote uglies..."

Cole smirked, brushing her hair back from her neck with gentle fingers.

"I think I've blown all my shots of gettin' them to like me, so, maybe I'll just get 'em to back the hell offa you?"

Lucy smiled. "That's so sweet... but, no, I need to learn to do it myself..."

"But, you don't."

"No..." Lucy blew her bangs out of her face. "I'm going to end up wearing Daisy Dukes and singing in a honkey tonk on a Thursday afternoon, aren't I?"

Cole smirked, kissing her temple, and then was moved to kiss the side of her neck...

"Ah, excuse me, is the class interrupting your makeout time, Aaronson and Bennett?" Dr. Cox's voice rang out, and Lucy cringed, sinking down into her seat.

"Maybe the class should just stop what we were doing and take notes on how you two... perform..."

"Oh crap!" Lucy shouted and she realized that she wasn't in her appartment but in the lecture hall. "I'm sorry Dr. Cox. My family is in town and class seems to be the only time Cole and I have together lately."

"Oh that is so sweet!" Cox said mockingly. "Well, if that is in the case---Blah! I don't care. Focus on class--- or do you wish to walk out that door? Huh?"

Lucy nodded meekly. "Sorry..." she mumbled, sinking lower into her seat...

* * *

The next morning, Cole felt water dripping on his head. Drew was standing over him.

"Wake up, genius." Drew said sarcastically. "You two are in my lab group... I'm not getting points deducted because you stayed up all night like friggin energizer bunnies."

Cole swatted at him sleepily, like a bear swatting at a honey-bee. Annoyed, Drew grabbed the blanket.

"You too, blondie--- oh, so, so sorry..."

"Who let you in here?" Lucy asked as she returned from the bathroom, in just a towel... on her head.

Drew about to answer but was frozen at the sight. He was loyal to Denise, but he was a man and could not help to look; but only for that moment.

"Sorry!" Drew said when he came back from his senses and he turned away quickly. "You left the door unlocked... I didn't mean--Um do you want go back and get dressed? I just--I'll see you at class--"

And he left as quickly as he could, closing the door behind him.

Lucy flushed all over, arms folded self consciously.

Cole bit his lower lip. "Sorry, babe. He came in here to wake me up, I think; just let himself in."

"Well, that just adds to my day." Lucy said sarcastically, throwing off the towel and walking to her closet. "If Denise finds out he saw me naked, she'll kick _my _ ass."

"Chick fight... nice..." Cole smirked.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "Ha ha." she said, pulling a dress over her head.

Cole eyed her; she didn't usually wear something that... short...

"If you're trying to distract Dr. Cox with that so we'll get a better grade..."

Lucy swatted at him. "No... I have something to do after class, that's all."

Cole suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Something I should know about?"

Lucy shook her head. "You know about it already. The gig. I decided that I will help my brother out... It's not like he is dealing pot brownies in a hospital.."

Cole raised an eye brow.

"Don't ask."

Cole shrugged. "Are you going to wear that to class though?"

Lucy smiled. "Why not. I mean I will be wearing my lap coat over it."

Cole stood, wrapping his arms around her waist. "OK, as long as Drew's not gonna be staring at you picturing you naked with you showing off so much leg... I mean, you have really, really great legs..."

Lucy laughed softly, leaning into Cole's bare chest. "Drew is _not _ interested in me. That was an accident that I'm sure he's _quite _smart enough not to say one word about or even think about anymore." she said, tossing Cole some jeans. "Come on, we don't wanna be late."

* * *

When they got to class, Dr. Cox was going over something on his desk with Denise, and Drew was nervously fidgeting.

"She keeps looking at me. Denise. She keeps looking at me." he whispered to Lucy.

"She's your girlfriend, duh? Now, stop being a spazz."

"She knows I am hiding something from her. And now she is punishing me. I don't know which is going to be worse. The not telling. Telling. Or not telling her and she finding out and thinking what happened was more than it was."

"What?" Lucy replied attempting to act like nothing happened. "What's there to tell?"

"That I saw your goodies?'

"Shut _up_ and she doesn't have to find _out_, doofus." Lucy hissed. "I don't need her on _my _ ass about it, too?

"Right..."

"Besides, I wouldn't be the least bit interested in you."

"Of course no--- wait, no?"

Lucy rolled her eyes; the ego of men...

"NO. I'm actually a little spoiled lately... I don't think you could top Cole."

"Well... that's just plain hurtful."

"Get back to work and stop talking about it before Denise comes over here?"

"Too late..." said a voice over Lucy's shoulder...

Drew bit down hard. "Nothing is wrong Honey."

"Honey? Now I'm scared. What's going on? Why does she know and not me?"

"Nothing..." Lucy said, chewing on her hair.

"Huh... I'm watching you two." Denise warned, walking back.

Lucy fidgeted. "Great, thanks..." she muttered.

"Sorry? But, she'd be WAY madder about that kinda thing than Cole would..."

"Well it isn't like it is going to happen again..." Lucy whispered back.

"Can you speak a little louder?" Drew whispered back.

"Um Drew I think the situation was just a bit more nerve-wracking for me than… you."

"Let's stop talking about it?"

It was then that Dr. Turk walked into the room, and Lucy immediately took her attention to the front of the room.

Yet still she could feel Denise's gaze upon her.

Cole a few seconds later appeared and took a seat at the desk he and Lucy shared.

"You okay Luce?"

Lucy tapped her nails on the desk a bit. "No... Drew wouldn't shut up, and now Denise thinks something is up with the two of us, so, she's being all... starey."

Cole spared a glance towards Drew, who was nervously scratching on his paper.

"It'll blow over. Just don't talk to the guy for a while. Or stand too closely..."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "We're in the same lab group; won't that look odd?"

"Well, I don't mean the other side of the _room_. Just don't stand next to _him."_

Lucy nodded nervously. "Okay, that's good." She slammed on a smile.

Cole flashed a smile back.

Over in lab, Lucy took Cole's advice and stood next to Cole, choosing to stand near the wall, instead of having Drew or Denise on her other side.

Internally she repeated to herself. _"It will blow over. It will blow over."_

Class wasn't over soon enough, and she half raced out with Cole and towards his car. "Come on, you gonna drive me?" she smiled.

Cole grinned. "Sure. Where is it?"

"Silver Spur."

Cole's smile faded. "You ever been there?"

"No... why?"

"That is a _rough _ joint. I ain't even wantin' to hang there. Once after I got my fake ID in high-school was 'nuff."

"Well... it's only for a couple of hours, and I promised Rick..."

"All right, I guess..." he said, pulling out of his spot.

But, in the back of his mind, he thought about kicking Rick's ass.

Lucy smiled. "You can come too you know?"

Cole just nodded. The hell he _wasn't_. It was the only way he was going to let Lucy go. Even though, he knew "let" wasn't really an option.

The two did not say much the drive down. Cole, however, was getting really antsy. And he just really wished that Lucy chose a longer dress to wear…

He pulled into the parking lot and clenched his keys in his hands.

"You sure you want to do this?" he asked.

Lucy nodded. "Come on Cole. It will be fun. Didn't you just tell me the other day to go out and sing?"

Cole nodded. "Yeah, but not _here---_ Let's just get this over with."

Lucy nodded. "Hey high school was five years ago. Maybe it's better now?"

Cole cringed inwardly, his grip around her waist tightening. It... was _worse_ than he remembered. She patted his hand reassuringly and walked up to the stage. Cole nervously took a seat near the front, and his eyes were on her as a twangy guitar riff started, and he chose to focus on her, as she lightly swayed and begun to sing "Before he Cheats".

He wasn't much of a country fan, but, she sounded really good--- and that wasn't just love-goggles. Unfortunately, the other, large guys standing around him were not noticing her for her voice.

"Shake it! Take it off!" he could hear surrounding his ears.

"Shut up!" Cole shouted.

"Did you say something punk?" one of the men snarled.

"Cole stood up. "I told you to shut the hell up."

The man grinned. "You are going to make me?"

"Yeah, maybe---"

But, suddenly he felt a hand yank him up on the stage and saw one of the band members holding onto his shirt.

"Dude." he said, letting go. "Out the back? Quick?"

And, Lucy grabbed his hand, and they raced out the back door towards his car.

"Sorry," Lucy said in a small voice.

"It's okay," Cole replied. "Let's just get out of here."

Lucy nodded and they hopped in the car and drove back home.

"Drew said that Denise cares more about stuff like seeing me naked than you would---"

Cole shook his head. "Not true."

"No?" Lucy asked.

Cole shook his head. "I wanted to kill all those bastards at the bar. But Drew? It was an accident. And he's a good guy. And besides..."

"Besides?"

"He cares deeply for Denise. I can tell."

Lucy raised an eye brow. That was deep.

"How can you tell?" she asked.

Cole turned away slightly. "I know because I know that look. I had that look at the bar... about you."

Lucy went absolutely melty. It was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her.

"I love you, too." she smiled.

Cole flushed, and slid his hand into hers. "Let's go home, boo."


End file.
